Post by The Scorpion on Jul 8, 2011 22:05:56 GMT -5
“Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.” Exodus 10:17
Imagine a scenario where your entire world, the only reality that you have ever truly known, is shattered around you like a stone crashing into a fragile mirror. Everything that you had come to believe in is completely gone; everything that you have ever fought for is now completely in vain. All of the pains, all of the sorrow, all of the anguish, all of the sacrifices have been for absolutely nothing. There was but a single goal, a single destination that you have been aiming for your entire life. You are so close that you can see the destination on the horizon…when suddenly the path you are walking on crumbles beneath you and falls away. You try desperately to grab onto something and stop the fall, yet there is nothing there for support. You fall down into the depths on the underworld, forever tainted with the stain of failure. All you can do is curse yourself for weakness and ultimately beg for forgiveness.
However, that is where that lone beacon of hope begins to shine anew. The lord above is many things. He is a father, a guide, a leader, a teacher, and even a disciplinarian. The messiah also contains many traits that we could identify with as human beings. He is capable of love and affection, hatred and sorrow, rage and anger. Yet there is one trait he shares that few of human flesh would entertain, namely the idea of mercy. The lord is nothing if not merciful, thus if one calls out to him then he will grant the chance of repenting your sins. It is a difficult and arduous task, but you at least have the opportunity rather than simply quietly fading into complete nothingness. He grants you the chance; you must simply be willing to pay his price. By applying yourself and forgetting about all other needs, you can be granted the greatest gift of all: a single chance of forgiveness.
This is the reality that few are willing to endure. Imagine for a single moment an existence that consists solely of pain and suffering, a never-ending anguish that will only be over when a will not your own decrees that you have been punished enough. There are many that would not accept such a one-sided agreement, instead taking the easier path of simply giving into their transgressions and accepting an eternity devoid of heavenly light. Yet there are those few enlightened ones that are able to see that pain is a sensation, but it is only temporary. The reward for one’s suffering is greater than any price one has to pay, thus it is all worth it in the end. I know this for I am of that circle. I am among those that have been forced into a life of exile, suffering, and misery. All because of one single mistake I made that defiled the holy name of god.
But it is all over now. I have finally been able to rid myself of the perpetual misery. All of the sacrifice, all of the pain, all of the sorrow, all of the hatred. All of it is now gone. I have been avenged, acquitted, and reawakened as a child of god. As I gaze into the starry night sky I can see the visual of my lost mother, gazing down on me with a prideful smile. I did it. I overcame my faults and fears. I overcame the last demon standing in my way when I was finally able to fell Jack Bull. I am whole once again. The Scorpion now stands again as the lord’s chosen predator, his venom ready to drain the life-force of all that would defy the holy word. My father is shielding me from the darkness once more, the golden angelic wings serving as my shield against the arrows of humanity. The lord now smiles down and blesses thy spirit, for he is a proud father once more. The eyes open with renewed vigor, my faith has returned to me at last!![/i]
At this point, the eyes open and a clear smile forms across the lips of the dark soul seated on the dusty floor. The fact that his mediation was able to occur with minimal strain is an indication that the long nightmare has finally come to an end, that he is finally back in the good graces of the lord above. He took the ultimate gamble, made the ultimate sacrifice…but it had finally paid off. He had been able to vanquish the demons and retain the Asylum World Heavyweight Title. By hanging onto that title belt, The Scorpion had been able to chase away the demons tormenting him throughout the sleepless nights. He is now acknowledged as the best fighter in the world without question. He is the champion of men. He is the pinnacle of what humanity should strive to be. He is the literal embodiment of the will of god…
The dark spirit rises to his feet now and calmly makes note of his surroundings. The man stands in a dusty and dreary room, completely devoid of furniture and illuminated by a lone dusty light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Ostensibly it appears that he is in a closet or storage room of some kind, as a large metal door serves as the only entrance and exit to the relatively small space. Yet this appears to comfort the man as he stands solemn and proud. Dressed in the trademark black muscle shirt and black trench coat, he is also comforted by two unique objects lying on the floor beside him. One is a small stack of papers, while the other is the object of everyone’s desires: the Asylum World Heavyweight Championship. However it is the papers that appear to interest The Scorpion most, as he quickly picks them up and brings them over to the dim light.
Looking down, it becomes clear now that the papers are from the scouting report he obtained previously in order to prepare for battle against Jack Bull. He combs over the paper with nearly fanatical focus, as if suffer from some bizarre type of obsessive-compulsive disorder. He takes particular note of the strategy contained in the papers, realizing that this is what helped guide him to victory against Jack Bull at Redemption. He also knows that such a strategy will be highly important for the upcoming battle, as he must not only face Jack Bull once more but the added threat of TITAN and Roy Viper as well. A bull, a monster, and a snake. The perfect menagerie of evil that he must destroy in order to maintain his standing in the eyes of god. However he must take it one at a time, thus he decides that now he must focus on Jack Bull exclusively.
Maintaining this focus, he now speaks aloud the strategy he intends to utilize.
“Just as before, I must be certain to maintain a constant attack and not allow Jack Bull to rally. I can best him in terms of speed and technique, while he will have a decided advantage in terms of strength. Jack Bull is a strong fighter, thus I must also rely on his focus being diverted by TITAN or Roy Viper. It is clear that the odds are stacked against Jack Bull coming out victorious, but I must not take anything for granted. This situation will only empower him and make him even more dangerous. It took everything I had to best him previously, thus I must…”
Suddenly, The Scorpion is cut off when he hears the sound of the large metal door slowly opening! Instinctively he spins around and assumes a defensive stance, obviously assuming that his health is the target of the individual opening the door. In the midst of seconds his advanced mind goes over the possibilities. Could it be Jack Bull seeking to ensure an advantage before meeting him in battle again? Could it be TITAN attempting to destroy him before their encounter? Could it even be Roy Viper trying to make it easier for him to steal the Asylum World Heavyweight Title? It could be anyone or anything, thus he must be prepared for any type of counterattack.
However, the source of the door opening appears to be one of peace, for through the door steps a man that ostensibly is out only to benefit the man known as The Scorpion. Through the door walks a tall man dressed in a fine business suit and flashing a million dollar smile. The man is a far cry from the barbarian nature of Jack Bull, the embodiment of violence that is TITAN, or the manipulative sneakiness of a man like Roy Viper. The man is perhaps even more dangerous than all of those men combined. The man is…Shawn Ashen.
Stepping calmly into the room, Ashen casually extends his hand to The Scorpion. Unsurprisingly, the champion does not leave his defensive stance and simply glares at the wealthy man before him. Ashen seemingly gets the idea quickly and steps back, casually adjusting his tie before speaking aloud.
“What a surprise to find you alone and in a dark room once again. You really should get some sunlight. It would do wonders for your naturally pale complexion.”
“What the hell do you want?”
“What do you think my dear genius fighter?”
“Enough with the patronizing! What are you doing here? How do you keep finding me? Why do you constantly stalk me!?”
“My word, so many questions. My friend, have you forgotten what I said the last time we spoke? I employ the most prolific satellite tracking organization on the planet Earth. I could find you in the middle of a desert if I really wanted to. You could be in any city, in any country, and on any continent in the known world. No matter where you are, I will always find you. After all, I have to protect my investments.”
“You speak of me as if I was nothing more that livestock, than some piece of property you are trying to build value upon.”
“That’s because you are.”
Upon hearing this, The Scorpion immediately pops out of his defensive stance and assumes an offensive one before shooting Ashen an absolute death glare. Just the site shows that this man is the polar opposite of what has been seen lately, the win over Jack Bull at Redemption apparently filling him with a new vigor. His eyes have become fiery and passionate once again, his frame looking well-rested for the first time in months. It is almost as if The Scorpion has been reborn…and is now looking to destroy the man that helped him get back to his former state. While maintaining his death glare on the wealthy investor, the champion speaks in a low and dangerous tone.
“You dare to mock me? You dare to mock a child of God!? Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip you apart…”
Seemingly unimpressed by the threat, Ashen simply smirks and gives off an arrogant snicker before calmly looking dead into The Scorpion’s eyes and giving his answer.
“Because if you did you would lose that title you have come to covet so dearly. You are up against three individuals this time. You need me more than ever. You need my help if you want to succeed again.”
“I need nothing from you. Did you not see what happened against Jack Bull? I called out in my time of need and my prayers were answered! I have no use for the assistance of a man concerned only with material gain! I have been reborn as the holy fighter! I have been accepted as the divine messenger once more!”
“Oh really now? Let me ask you this then champ…who was it that answered your prayers? If I recall correctly you cried out to someone before you opened that scouting report I gave you. Interestingly enough though, I do believe it was not your “father” but Satan that you called out to for help. Could it have been that prayer that was truly answered? How do you know HE wasn’t the one who helped you out!?”
At this point, the bravado that was once there seemingly leaves the visage of The Scorpion in one blinding moment of revelation. The color drains from the man’s face and his eyes go wide with shock. The first instinct is to turn to denial, the most basic of all human reactions. After all, it HAD to have been the lord that answered his child’s prayer in a time of need. That is what was supposed to happen. Despite this though, the enlightened mind of The Scorpion knows that it will do him no good to place his faith in the vanity of hope. No matter how desperately he wants to believe otherwise…Shawn Ashen is correct. He truly does NOT know who it was that answered his call for help. Could it truly have been the Dark Angel that answered? Is it possible that he is still without the holy light? Could it be true that he is still without a father?
The thought seems to play havoc with The Scorpion as he grabs his temples and begins to grimace in extreme pain. The image seemingly brings a feeling of satisfaction to the rich man standing before him, as a sick and arrogant smirk slowly forms across the face of Shawn Ashen. The man that was so proud just moments before has been reduced to a child-like soul wincing in pain. Relishing in the vision before him, he now speaks again in a much more condescending tone.
“You see how things work when you approach issues logically? For a man with such a high IQ, you fail to see the reality of most situations. You have no clue who it was that helped you in that ring…but you DO know who helped you beforehand: ME! I’m the reason you beat Jack Bull! You were crying like a sad little boy before you opened that envelope! I watched your match; you followed that damn strategy to the letter! It’s because of ME that you beat Jack Bull and THIS is how you repay me!?”
“I OWE YOU NOTHING!! YOU CARE NOTING ABOUT ME!! YOU ARE JUST USING ME FOR YOUR OWN GAINS!!”
“You’re absolutely right. I could care less about a sniveling brat like you. What I care about is my investments. What I care about is that belt you wear around your waist. That belt is making me money right now, which means I have to help a sad little child like you! You need help and what a surprise, good ol’ Mr. Ashen is here to the rescue once again!”
His words finished, Ashen now reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out two sealed envelopes. He sneers at The Scorpion now and tosses them both down towards his feet. The champion looks down now and is unsurprised by what he sees. Once again written in all capital bolded letters, the envelope on the right reads “TITAN” while the one on the left reads “ROY VIPER”. The Scorpion gazes down at the envelopes with a look of total disgust on his face before kicking them away and looking back towards Ashen.
“I will not indebt myself to you once again. I can win on my own merit. This is not like before. I have bested TITAN in combat. I have defeated Roy Viper several times before. I have vanquished the demon that is Jack Bull. I don’t need you! I don’t need the help of some arrogant swine interested only in his own gains! My father is back with me! I need nothing else! Now get out!”
“Stop kidding yourself! Your “father” didn’t help you with shit! You called out to Satan and you got your help by compromising your beliefs! What is one more time going to do!? You’ve bested TITAN? You’ve never once pinned TITAN! You got lucky in that he was preoccupied when you slid in the back door and won that damn belt! You’ve beaten Roy Viper? Well congratulations on that one, you’ve bested a guy with nowhere near your experience and who is prone to recklessness! You beat Jack Bull yes, but ONLY because of my help! You need my help to retain that title more than ever! You know Rivera will screw you over just to hurt me! You can’t lose that title yet! I’m making too much damn money off of you!”
“I don’t care about you or your money! I will not lower myself any further! I still have my pride! Now get out!”
“You are making a gigantic mistake! You are…”
“I SAID GET OUT!!!!!”
Upon hearing the shout, Ashen apparently resigns himself to his fate and lets off a small sigh of disappointment. Shaking his head slightly, he calmly turns his back to The Scorpion and walks towards the door. He reaches the door frame, but suddenly stops and reaches into his coat pocket once again. He produces a small, cheap looking cell phone and casually tosses it to the World Heavyweight Champion. The Scorpion catches the small object out of complete instinct and looks at Ashen in confusion before the rich man speaks one last time.
“Do me a favor and don’t break that. If you need me, then call me. No matter how misguided you are and how much pride you have, we both know you’ll open those envelopes once I leave. You just don’t want to lower yourself to doing it in front of me. Trust me though; I really do care about you retaining that title of yours. Keep that in mind. Goodbye…champ.”
With that, Shawn Ashen turns and leaves in peace, the door softly closing behind him. The Scorpion remains still and silent for several moments, almost as if he is contemplating on the conversation he just had. Could Ashen be correct? Could it possibly have been not the lord, but Satan that answered his cries for help? Is it possible that he has denigrated to the point that he can’t win without the help of Shawn Ashen and his scouting reports? He has to defend the EUW World Heavyweight Title against three men, the same situation he faced when he first won it all those months ago. That time he had managed to pull it off, but Ashen was right about one thing: it had not been TITAN that he had pinned. Could it be that he needs the help of the rich man after all?
While these thoughts continue to rage in his mind and he calmly gazes down at the envelopes in front of him, The Scorpion now speaks aloud to nobody in particular, almost as if he himself is curious as to who will answer his many, many questions.
“Once again I am presented with the seemingly insurmountable task of felling this man named TITAN, a name derived from that of the Greek gods. Such a task is one that is almost impossible on the surface. He is seen as an unbeatable monster, an impenetrable fortress of might, an unstoppable killing machine. Unfortunately, these labels are not entirely without merit. He is a man of immense size and strength, yet he also possesses a deceptive speed. That speed counteracts my natural advantage in both movement and endurance. Based upon this, my next natural inclination would be to rely on a consistent chain of attacks comprised of throws. But on a man the size of TITAN, this idea of attacking with throws is also completely out, as he would easily overpower me with counterattacks. Sticking and moving with quick strikes would be best, but would they produce enough damage to truly weaken the man?”
At this point, The Scorpion is forced to pause and draw in several deep breaths. It is as if the realizations of his predicament are having an extreme effect on him, as he has lost any image of the fire he had before. Seemingly realizing this, he casually reaches over and picks up the envelope Ashen left for him labeled “TITAN”. He calmly looks at the envelope in his hands, turning it from side to side as he continues from where he left off.
“Despite my skill and technique, even I am incapable of breaking through a solid wall. The man is seemingly impregnable, yet I must somehow find a way to do something even the legend Chris Sabora could not do. I must find a way to slay this madman once and for all. I must find a way to once and for all defeat the monster known as TITAN. Jack Bull was bad enough, now I have a monster to fell as well? Fine, I’ll rise to this challenge too. Everyone hates me. Everyone doubts me. But I will show them all that the light of god has returned to me. If I must fell a god to regain god…then that is what I shall do. If I am to best a TITAN, I must do something that I find inconceivable. I must commit deicide. I…I must be the one that destroys a god…”
His mind seemingly at ease, The Scorpion now commits another sin by opening the envelope and looking through the papers contained within. As with Jack Bull, the scouting report is among the most thorough ever created, with everything being covered: TITAN’s training regiment, his psychological sessions, transcripts of interviews, anticipated move sets. Most importantly though, is the strategy contained within detailing the most efficient way to fell this monster of a man. The champion pays particular heed to the advice of relying on the stick and move mentality, as it is largely similar to what he thought on his own. However the strategy also gives a concrete analysis for breaking down the big man’s knees and ankles, thereby counterbalancing his natural size and strength advantage. It is invaluable for The Scorpion, as despite his natural fighting abilities, he is far from the most avid of technical professional wrestlers.
Seemingly content with the strategy to use against TITAN, The Scorpion now focuses on the wild card in this encounter, the traitor by the name of Roy Viper. He has battled this man several times before and always come out victorious, but this time will be different. Viper now has a renewed vigor and the favor of one Mark Rivera, who holds the potential to have a direct influence thanks to his position as guest referee. As such, a thorough and complete strategy must be utilized if the World Heavyweight Championship is to remain in god’s hands.
While still pondering these thoughts, The Scorpion once more speaks aloud to no one in particular, seemingly desperate to simply express his thoughts…
“In the annals of ancient Egypt, the age old legend is that the queen Cleopatra committed suicide when it became clear that she could not best the Roman general Octavian. Rather than suffer the humiliation of military defeat, she decided to be a coward and take the easy way out. The way she committed this eternal sin was through the self-inflicted bite of a viper. Cerastes vipera, more commonly known as the sand viper, one of the deadliest snakes in the known world. An appropriate name for a snake of man known as Roy Viper. The very same man that sold his soul to Mark Rivera for the vain ideals of human success due to the convoluted idea that he needed that extra helping hand. It might seem hypocritical coming from me, however my back was to the wall.”
This sentence has a clear effect on the man, as he seemingly undergoes an epiphany. He realizes that now is no different: his back is against the wall once again. If anything, it is more urgent due to the fact that he now must contend with three opponents rather than one. As such, the time for foolish pride is over. He realizes that he must utilize every advantage available to him.
Knowing this, he now grabs the envelope labeled “ROY VIPER” and tears it open. As with the other reports all of the essentials are there: training regiments, move sets, psychological tendencies and the like. As before, he pays particular attention to the strategy, noting that it is decidedly different from the others due to Viper’s smaller size. The papers note that a consistent attack based in power moves and throws is most appropriate, as Viper would have the speed to dodge the majority of his strikes. Once again it is vital information for a man that needs any strategy he can to best what is likely the toughest challenge of his life.
Seemingly at peace with accepting such help, The Scorpion continues to speak.
“Roy Viper was a fine and upcoming fighter, a man that did not need the shortcut he took. But alas, he has made his decision and that decision leads him against me once more. I have done battle with this man multiple times, but this time I actually have the advantage. Roy Viper has never once bested me. I can overpower him with strength, outflank him with strikes, or chain together throws to weaken him. If I am to fall at the hands of the demons, I will not let it be to the weakest one of them all. By no means, legitimate or nefarious, can Roy Viper best a true follower of god. In the eternal realm of nature, both the snake and the scorpion possess venom. However, it is the scorpion’s venom that is more powerful and can kill a man quicker. By constantly falling before me, Roy Viper is simply validating the natural order of the animal kingdom.”
At this point, The Scorpion stops and quickly reclaims the papers he was looking at earlier on Jack Bull. He has already memorized the documents in-depth, thus his focus now is on the aspect of mental preparation. Despite TITAN’s immense strength and Roy Viper’s cunning, The Scorpion knows that Jack Bull will be his biggest challenge. After all, the odds are greatly stacked against him, which will only motivate a man with as much pride as Jack Bull. After FINALLY ending his nightmare, he cannot fathom the thought of Bull coming back to defeat him mere weeks later. As such, he must afford ample preparation to Jack Bull to avoid losing what he has fought so hard for.
Formulating these thoughts, he once again speaks aloud.
“For the first time in as long as I can remember, I can finally look at Jack Bull’s name without an instinctive fear coming over me. After all of the heartache and sacrifice, I finally did it. It finally happened. I finally conquered the demon. The Scorpion finally defeated Jack Bull. Yet, mere weeks later, he arises once again from the flames like Lucifer, ready to do battle once more. It was a battle like no other and it took every single ounce of energy I had…but I finally did it. I finally beat Jack Bull. Now that I have finally done it once I know that I can do it again. I have come too far, withstood too much pain, sacrificed too much to lose it all now. I cannot afford to lose focus, because Jack Bull is going to focus almost solely on me. All of them will primarily be targeting me as the champion, thus I must see to it that I am able to defend three directions at once. I will take everything I have to give…but I must pull it off."
Pausing to take a breath, The Scorpion seemingly repeats this phrase over and over in his head. No matter what the cost, he must succeed and remain the Asylum World Heavyweight Champion. If he loses now, then it truly was all for naught…
Realizing this, he continues once again.
“I have to show that I am worthy of being fully accepted back into the loving embrace of the angels once again. Without finally ridding myself of the thorn known as Jack Bull, I can never truly be at peace. If I must fail, I will literally stop drawing breath before that failure comes at the hands of this man. Jack Bull is unworthy to hold this crown, thus I will sacrifice everything to make sure he never lays hands on it. I will have everything be in vain before I will give him the satisfaction! I will not let you have the glory Jack Bull! You have become the embodiment of everything that I despise about the human race. I detest the very fact that I am forced to share the same air as you. I hate you Jack Bull…I HATE YOU!!!”
His peace spoken, The Scorpion quickly folds up the papers from all three envelopes and deposits them into his coat pocket. He picks up his title belt and throws it over his shoulder before turning to leave. He takes a step for the door, but is suddenly caught off guard when the cell phone rings!! Looking confused, the champion calmly takes the phone out of his pocket and opens it before holding it up to his ear…
“I know you looked at those envelopes. I simply waited to give you time. Aren’t they a great resource to utilize?”
The voice was unmistakable, the arrogant tones of one Shawn Ashen coming through the small metal contraption. The Scorpion sneers in disgust before speaking back to the man on the other end.
“Your point?”
“My point is that you should see by now that you will not get rid of me. That you cannot harm me or cut me off, because I am the key to your salvation. I am the key to your life. I am the key to your PAST! Aren’t I……………..DANIEL??”
At this point The Scorpion literally drops the title belt and phone from his hands, watching them both fall to the floor! His eyes are as wide as saucers, a look of absolute shock overtaking him! Obviously the rich man has struck a nerve like never before, as the proud world champion is literally quivering in fear, barely able to stand up! He drops to his knees now to regain his balance before reaching for the phone. Surprisingly it is undamaged from the drop, thus The Scorpion attempts to hold the phone to his ear again, his hand shaking uncontrollably.
“No...NO! He is gone! How…how do you know that name???”
“Oh please you thought I didn’t know? I know your background my friend. It was a VERY expensive and time-consuming process, but I did it. I also have a bit more information that you might like. What would you say if I told you that I have something you have searched for your entire life? What would you say if I told you I could end the suffering you feel? What if I told you…that I know the name of your mother’s killer???”
The Scorpion now audibly gasps in shock at what he has just heard. The man that took his mother away, the source for turning him into what he is today. Could it be true? Could Shawn Ashen truly have the answers he has sought for all these years?
Trying to calm himself, he speaks into the phone again.
“Give me the name Ashen. Give me the name!! And I vow to you at this very moment. If you are lying, you will not be able to hide from me!!!”
“Oh please, like I would give it away for free? That’s bad business my friend. I’ll tell you what, let’s make a trade. If you can successfully defend your title, I’ll give you the man’s name. If you fail, then I will burn the only existing copy of the papers. I figured a little extra motivation couldn’t hurt, so I came prepared. Knock them dead champ, just know that I believe in you!”
At this point Ashen hangs up, the phone making an audible click before disconnecting. The sight now is one that would permanently be engraved in the memory of anyone that viewed it. The Scorpion is literally shaking in a combination of rage and glee. He might finally be able to find out why his mother had to die. But in order to do so, he must meet the challenges of TITAN, Jack Bull, and Roy Viper. This has become more about the Asylum World Heavyweight Title. This has become about the past of a man named Daniel and the future of a man known only as The Scorpion…
Imagine a scenario where your entire world, the only reality that you have ever truly known, is shattered around you like a stone crashing into a fragile mirror. Everything that you had come to believe in is completely gone; everything that you have ever fought for is now completely in vain. All of the pains, all of the sorrow, all of the anguish, all of the sacrifices have been for absolutely nothing. There was but a single goal, a single destination that you have been aiming for your entire life. You are so close that you can see the destination on the horizon…when suddenly the path you are walking on crumbles beneath you and falls away. You try desperately to grab onto something and stop the fall, yet there is nothing there for support. You fall down into the depths on the underworld, forever tainted with the stain of failure. All you can do is curse yourself for weakness and ultimately beg for forgiveness.
However, that is where that lone beacon of hope begins to shine anew. The lord above is many things. He is a father, a guide, a leader, a teacher, and even a disciplinarian. The messiah also contains many traits that we could identify with as human beings. He is capable of love and affection, hatred and sorrow, rage and anger. Yet there is one trait he shares that few of human flesh would entertain, namely the idea of mercy. The lord is nothing if not merciful, thus if one calls out to him then he will grant the chance of repenting your sins. It is a difficult and arduous task, but you at least have the opportunity rather than simply quietly fading into complete nothingness. He grants you the chance; you must simply be willing to pay his price. By applying yourself and forgetting about all other needs, you can be granted the greatest gift of all: a single chance of forgiveness.
This is the reality that few are willing to endure. Imagine for a single moment an existence that consists solely of pain and suffering, a never-ending anguish that will only be over when a will not your own decrees that you have been punished enough. There are many that would not accept such a one-sided agreement, instead taking the easier path of simply giving into their transgressions and accepting an eternity devoid of heavenly light. Yet there are those few enlightened ones that are able to see that pain is a sensation, but it is only temporary. The reward for one’s suffering is greater than any price one has to pay, thus it is all worth it in the end. I know this for I am of that circle. I am among those that have been forced into a life of exile, suffering, and misery. All because of one single mistake I made that defiled the holy name of god.
But it is all over now. I have finally been able to rid myself of the perpetual misery. All of the sacrifice, all of the pain, all of the sorrow, all of the hatred. All of it is now gone. I have been avenged, acquitted, and reawakened as a child of god. As I gaze into the starry night sky I can see the visual of my lost mother, gazing down on me with a prideful smile. I did it. I overcame my faults and fears. I overcame the last demon standing in my way when I was finally able to fell Jack Bull. I am whole once again. The Scorpion now stands again as the lord’s chosen predator, his venom ready to drain the life-force of all that would defy the holy word. My father is shielding me from the darkness once more, the golden angelic wings serving as my shield against the arrows of humanity. The lord now smiles down and blesses thy spirit, for he is a proud father once more. The eyes open with renewed vigor, my faith has returned to me at last!![/i]
At this point, the eyes open and a clear smile forms across the lips of the dark soul seated on the dusty floor. The fact that his mediation was able to occur with minimal strain is an indication that the long nightmare has finally come to an end, that he is finally back in the good graces of the lord above. He took the ultimate gamble, made the ultimate sacrifice…but it had finally paid off. He had been able to vanquish the demons and retain the Asylum World Heavyweight Title. By hanging onto that title belt, The Scorpion had been able to chase away the demons tormenting him throughout the sleepless nights. He is now acknowledged as the best fighter in the world without question. He is the champion of men. He is the pinnacle of what humanity should strive to be. He is the literal embodiment of the will of god…
The dark spirit rises to his feet now and calmly makes note of his surroundings. The man stands in a dusty and dreary room, completely devoid of furniture and illuminated by a lone dusty light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Ostensibly it appears that he is in a closet or storage room of some kind, as a large metal door serves as the only entrance and exit to the relatively small space. Yet this appears to comfort the man as he stands solemn and proud. Dressed in the trademark black muscle shirt and black trench coat, he is also comforted by two unique objects lying on the floor beside him. One is a small stack of papers, while the other is the object of everyone’s desires: the Asylum World Heavyweight Championship. However it is the papers that appear to interest The Scorpion most, as he quickly picks them up and brings them over to the dim light.
Looking down, it becomes clear now that the papers are from the scouting report he obtained previously in order to prepare for battle against Jack Bull. He combs over the paper with nearly fanatical focus, as if suffer from some bizarre type of obsessive-compulsive disorder. He takes particular note of the strategy contained in the papers, realizing that this is what helped guide him to victory against Jack Bull at Redemption. He also knows that such a strategy will be highly important for the upcoming battle, as he must not only face Jack Bull once more but the added threat of TITAN and Roy Viper as well. A bull, a monster, and a snake. The perfect menagerie of evil that he must destroy in order to maintain his standing in the eyes of god. However he must take it one at a time, thus he decides that now he must focus on Jack Bull exclusively.
Maintaining this focus, he now speaks aloud the strategy he intends to utilize.
“Just as before, I must be certain to maintain a constant attack and not allow Jack Bull to rally. I can best him in terms of speed and technique, while he will have a decided advantage in terms of strength. Jack Bull is a strong fighter, thus I must also rely on his focus being diverted by TITAN or Roy Viper. It is clear that the odds are stacked against Jack Bull coming out victorious, but I must not take anything for granted. This situation will only empower him and make him even more dangerous. It took everything I had to best him previously, thus I must…”
Suddenly, The Scorpion is cut off when he hears the sound of the large metal door slowly opening! Instinctively he spins around and assumes a defensive stance, obviously assuming that his health is the target of the individual opening the door. In the midst of seconds his advanced mind goes over the possibilities. Could it be Jack Bull seeking to ensure an advantage before meeting him in battle again? Could it be TITAN attempting to destroy him before their encounter? Could it even be Roy Viper trying to make it easier for him to steal the Asylum World Heavyweight Title? It could be anyone or anything, thus he must be prepared for any type of counterattack.
However, the source of the door opening appears to be one of peace, for through the door steps a man that ostensibly is out only to benefit the man known as The Scorpion. Through the door walks a tall man dressed in a fine business suit and flashing a million dollar smile. The man is a far cry from the barbarian nature of Jack Bull, the embodiment of violence that is TITAN, or the manipulative sneakiness of a man like Roy Viper. The man is perhaps even more dangerous than all of those men combined. The man is…Shawn Ashen.
Stepping calmly into the room, Ashen casually extends his hand to The Scorpion. Unsurprisingly, the champion does not leave his defensive stance and simply glares at the wealthy man before him. Ashen seemingly gets the idea quickly and steps back, casually adjusting his tie before speaking aloud.
“What a surprise to find you alone and in a dark room once again. You really should get some sunlight. It would do wonders for your naturally pale complexion.”
“What the hell do you want?”
“What do you think my dear genius fighter?”
“Enough with the patronizing! What are you doing here? How do you keep finding me? Why do you constantly stalk me!?”
“My word, so many questions. My friend, have you forgotten what I said the last time we spoke? I employ the most prolific satellite tracking organization on the planet Earth. I could find you in the middle of a desert if I really wanted to. You could be in any city, in any country, and on any continent in the known world. No matter where you are, I will always find you. After all, I have to protect my investments.”
“You speak of me as if I was nothing more that livestock, than some piece of property you are trying to build value upon.”
“That’s because you are.”
Upon hearing this, The Scorpion immediately pops out of his defensive stance and assumes an offensive one before shooting Ashen an absolute death glare. Just the site shows that this man is the polar opposite of what has been seen lately, the win over Jack Bull at Redemption apparently filling him with a new vigor. His eyes have become fiery and passionate once again, his frame looking well-rested for the first time in months. It is almost as if The Scorpion has been reborn…and is now looking to destroy the man that helped him get back to his former state. While maintaining his death glare on the wealthy investor, the champion speaks in a low and dangerous tone.
“You dare to mock me? You dare to mock a child of God!? Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip you apart…”
Seemingly unimpressed by the threat, Ashen simply smirks and gives off an arrogant snicker before calmly looking dead into The Scorpion’s eyes and giving his answer.
“Because if you did you would lose that title you have come to covet so dearly. You are up against three individuals this time. You need me more than ever. You need my help if you want to succeed again.”
“I need nothing from you. Did you not see what happened against Jack Bull? I called out in my time of need and my prayers were answered! I have no use for the assistance of a man concerned only with material gain! I have been reborn as the holy fighter! I have been accepted as the divine messenger once more!”
“Oh really now? Let me ask you this then champ…who was it that answered your prayers? If I recall correctly you cried out to someone before you opened that scouting report I gave you. Interestingly enough though, I do believe it was not your “father” but Satan that you called out to for help. Could it have been that prayer that was truly answered? How do you know HE wasn’t the one who helped you out!?”
At this point, the bravado that was once there seemingly leaves the visage of The Scorpion in one blinding moment of revelation. The color drains from the man’s face and his eyes go wide with shock. The first instinct is to turn to denial, the most basic of all human reactions. After all, it HAD to have been the lord that answered his child’s prayer in a time of need. That is what was supposed to happen. Despite this though, the enlightened mind of The Scorpion knows that it will do him no good to place his faith in the vanity of hope. No matter how desperately he wants to believe otherwise…Shawn Ashen is correct. He truly does NOT know who it was that answered his call for help. Could it truly have been the Dark Angel that answered? Is it possible that he is still without the holy light? Could it be true that he is still without a father?
The thought seems to play havoc with The Scorpion as he grabs his temples and begins to grimace in extreme pain. The image seemingly brings a feeling of satisfaction to the rich man standing before him, as a sick and arrogant smirk slowly forms across the face of Shawn Ashen. The man that was so proud just moments before has been reduced to a child-like soul wincing in pain. Relishing in the vision before him, he now speaks again in a much more condescending tone.
“You see how things work when you approach issues logically? For a man with such a high IQ, you fail to see the reality of most situations. You have no clue who it was that helped you in that ring…but you DO know who helped you beforehand: ME! I’m the reason you beat Jack Bull! You were crying like a sad little boy before you opened that envelope! I watched your match; you followed that damn strategy to the letter! It’s because of ME that you beat Jack Bull and THIS is how you repay me!?”
“I OWE YOU NOTHING!! YOU CARE NOTING ABOUT ME!! YOU ARE JUST USING ME FOR YOUR OWN GAINS!!”
“You’re absolutely right. I could care less about a sniveling brat like you. What I care about is my investments. What I care about is that belt you wear around your waist. That belt is making me money right now, which means I have to help a sad little child like you! You need help and what a surprise, good ol’ Mr. Ashen is here to the rescue once again!”
His words finished, Ashen now reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out two sealed envelopes. He sneers at The Scorpion now and tosses them both down towards his feet. The champion looks down now and is unsurprised by what he sees. Once again written in all capital bolded letters, the envelope on the right reads “TITAN” while the one on the left reads “ROY VIPER”. The Scorpion gazes down at the envelopes with a look of total disgust on his face before kicking them away and looking back towards Ashen.
“I will not indebt myself to you once again. I can win on my own merit. This is not like before. I have bested TITAN in combat. I have defeated Roy Viper several times before. I have vanquished the demon that is Jack Bull. I don’t need you! I don’t need the help of some arrogant swine interested only in his own gains! My father is back with me! I need nothing else! Now get out!”
“Stop kidding yourself! Your “father” didn’t help you with shit! You called out to Satan and you got your help by compromising your beliefs! What is one more time going to do!? You’ve bested TITAN? You’ve never once pinned TITAN! You got lucky in that he was preoccupied when you slid in the back door and won that damn belt! You’ve beaten Roy Viper? Well congratulations on that one, you’ve bested a guy with nowhere near your experience and who is prone to recklessness! You beat Jack Bull yes, but ONLY because of my help! You need my help to retain that title more than ever! You know Rivera will screw you over just to hurt me! You can’t lose that title yet! I’m making too much damn money off of you!”
“I don’t care about you or your money! I will not lower myself any further! I still have my pride! Now get out!”
“You are making a gigantic mistake! You are…”
“I SAID GET OUT!!!!!”
Upon hearing the shout, Ashen apparently resigns himself to his fate and lets off a small sigh of disappointment. Shaking his head slightly, he calmly turns his back to The Scorpion and walks towards the door. He reaches the door frame, but suddenly stops and reaches into his coat pocket once again. He produces a small, cheap looking cell phone and casually tosses it to the World Heavyweight Champion. The Scorpion catches the small object out of complete instinct and looks at Ashen in confusion before the rich man speaks one last time.
“Do me a favor and don’t break that. If you need me, then call me. No matter how misguided you are and how much pride you have, we both know you’ll open those envelopes once I leave. You just don’t want to lower yourself to doing it in front of me. Trust me though; I really do care about you retaining that title of yours. Keep that in mind. Goodbye…champ.”
With that, Shawn Ashen turns and leaves in peace, the door softly closing behind him. The Scorpion remains still and silent for several moments, almost as if he is contemplating on the conversation he just had. Could Ashen be correct? Could it possibly have been not the lord, but Satan that answered his cries for help? Is it possible that he has denigrated to the point that he can’t win without the help of Shawn Ashen and his scouting reports? He has to defend the EUW World Heavyweight Title against three men, the same situation he faced when he first won it all those months ago. That time he had managed to pull it off, but Ashen was right about one thing: it had not been TITAN that he had pinned. Could it be that he needs the help of the rich man after all?
While these thoughts continue to rage in his mind and he calmly gazes down at the envelopes in front of him, The Scorpion now speaks aloud to nobody in particular, almost as if he himself is curious as to who will answer his many, many questions.
“Once again I am presented with the seemingly insurmountable task of felling this man named TITAN, a name derived from that of the Greek gods. Such a task is one that is almost impossible on the surface. He is seen as an unbeatable monster, an impenetrable fortress of might, an unstoppable killing machine. Unfortunately, these labels are not entirely without merit. He is a man of immense size and strength, yet he also possesses a deceptive speed. That speed counteracts my natural advantage in both movement and endurance. Based upon this, my next natural inclination would be to rely on a consistent chain of attacks comprised of throws. But on a man the size of TITAN, this idea of attacking with throws is also completely out, as he would easily overpower me with counterattacks. Sticking and moving with quick strikes would be best, but would they produce enough damage to truly weaken the man?”
At this point, The Scorpion is forced to pause and draw in several deep breaths. It is as if the realizations of his predicament are having an extreme effect on him, as he has lost any image of the fire he had before. Seemingly realizing this, he casually reaches over and picks up the envelope Ashen left for him labeled “TITAN”. He calmly looks at the envelope in his hands, turning it from side to side as he continues from where he left off.
“Despite my skill and technique, even I am incapable of breaking through a solid wall. The man is seemingly impregnable, yet I must somehow find a way to do something even the legend Chris Sabora could not do. I must find a way to slay this madman once and for all. I must find a way to once and for all defeat the monster known as TITAN. Jack Bull was bad enough, now I have a monster to fell as well? Fine, I’ll rise to this challenge too. Everyone hates me. Everyone doubts me. But I will show them all that the light of god has returned to me. If I must fell a god to regain god…then that is what I shall do. If I am to best a TITAN, I must do something that I find inconceivable. I must commit deicide. I…I must be the one that destroys a god…”
His mind seemingly at ease, The Scorpion now commits another sin by opening the envelope and looking through the papers contained within. As with Jack Bull, the scouting report is among the most thorough ever created, with everything being covered: TITAN’s training regiment, his psychological sessions, transcripts of interviews, anticipated move sets. Most importantly though, is the strategy contained within detailing the most efficient way to fell this monster of a man. The champion pays particular heed to the advice of relying on the stick and move mentality, as it is largely similar to what he thought on his own. However the strategy also gives a concrete analysis for breaking down the big man’s knees and ankles, thereby counterbalancing his natural size and strength advantage. It is invaluable for The Scorpion, as despite his natural fighting abilities, he is far from the most avid of technical professional wrestlers.
Seemingly content with the strategy to use against TITAN, The Scorpion now focuses on the wild card in this encounter, the traitor by the name of Roy Viper. He has battled this man several times before and always come out victorious, but this time will be different. Viper now has a renewed vigor and the favor of one Mark Rivera, who holds the potential to have a direct influence thanks to his position as guest referee. As such, a thorough and complete strategy must be utilized if the World Heavyweight Championship is to remain in god’s hands.
While still pondering these thoughts, The Scorpion once more speaks aloud to no one in particular, seemingly desperate to simply express his thoughts…
“In the annals of ancient Egypt, the age old legend is that the queen Cleopatra committed suicide when it became clear that she could not best the Roman general Octavian. Rather than suffer the humiliation of military defeat, she decided to be a coward and take the easy way out. The way she committed this eternal sin was through the self-inflicted bite of a viper. Cerastes vipera, more commonly known as the sand viper, one of the deadliest snakes in the known world. An appropriate name for a snake of man known as Roy Viper. The very same man that sold his soul to Mark Rivera for the vain ideals of human success due to the convoluted idea that he needed that extra helping hand. It might seem hypocritical coming from me, however my back was to the wall.”
This sentence has a clear effect on the man, as he seemingly undergoes an epiphany. He realizes that now is no different: his back is against the wall once again. If anything, it is more urgent due to the fact that he now must contend with three opponents rather than one. As such, the time for foolish pride is over. He realizes that he must utilize every advantage available to him.
Knowing this, he now grabs the envelope labeled “ROY VIPER” and tears it open. As with the other reports all of the essentials are there: training regiments, move sets, psychological tendencies and the like. As before, he pays particular attention to the strategy, noting that it is decidedly different from the others due to Viper’s smaller size. The papers note that a consistent attack based in power moves and throws is most appropriate, as Viper would have the speed to dodge the majority of his strikes. Once again it is vital information for a man that needs any strategy he can to best what is likely the toughest challenge of his life.
Seemingly at peace with accepting such help, The Scorpion continues to speak.
“Roy Viper was a fine and upcoming fighter, a man that did not need the shortcut he took. But alas, he has made his decision and that decision leads him against me once more. I have done battle with this man multiple times, but this time I actually have the advantage. Roy Viper has never once bested me. I can overpower him with strength, outflank him with strikes, or chain together throws to weaken him. If I am to fall at the hands of the demons, I will not let it be to the weakest one of them all. By no means, legitimate or nefarious, can Roy Viper best a true follower of god. In the eternal realm of nature, both the snake and the scorpion possess venom. However, it is the scorpion’s venom that is more powerful and can kill a man quicker. By constantly falling before me, Roy Viper is simply validating the natural order of the animal kingdom.”
At this point, The Scorpion stops and quickly reclaims the papers he was looking at earlier on Jack Bull. He has already memorized the documents in-depth, thus his focus now is on the aspect of mental preparation. Despite TITAN’s immense strength and Roy Viper’s cunning, The Scorpion knows that Jack Bull will be his biggest challenge. After all, the odds are greatly stacked against him, which will only motivate a man with as much pride as Jack Bull. After FINALLY ending his nightmare, he cannot fathom the thought of Bull coming back to defeat him mere weeks later. As such, he must afford ample preparation to Jack Bull to avoid losing what he has fought so hard for.
Formulating these thoughts, he once again speaks aloud.
“For the first time in as long as I can remember, I can finally look at Jack Bull’s name without an instinctive fear coming over me. After all of the heartache and sacrifice, I finally did it. It finally happened. I finally conquered the demon. The Scorpion finally defeated Jack Bull. Yet, mere weeks later, he arises once again from the flames like Lucifer, ready to do battle once more. It was a battle like no other and it took every single ounce of energy I had…but I finally did it. I finally beat Jack Bull. Now that I have finally done it once I know that I can do it again. I have come too far, withstood too much pain, sacrificed too much to lose it all now. I cannot afford to lose focus, because Jack Bull is going to focus almost solely on me. All of them will primarily be targeting me as the champion, thus I must see to it that I am able to defend three directions at once. I will take everything I have to give…but I must pull it off."
Pausing to take a breath, The Scorpion seemingly repeats this phrase over and over in his head. No matter what the cost, he must succeed and remain the Asylum World Heavyweight Champion. If he loses now, then it truly was all for naught…
Realizing this, he continues once again.
“I have to show that I am worthy of being fully accepted back into the loving embrace of the angels once again. Without finally ridding myself of the thorn known as Jack Bull, I can never truly be at peace. If I must fail, I will literally stop drawing breath before that failure comes at the hands of this man. Jack Bull is unworthy to hold this crown, thus I will sacrifice everything to make sure he never lays hands on it. I will have everything be in vain before I will give him the satisfaction! I will not let you have the glory Jack Bull! You have become the embodiment of everything that I despise about the human race. I detest the very fact that I am forced to share the same air as you. I hate you Jack Bull…I HATE YOU!!!”
His peace spoken, The Scorpion quickly folds up the papers from all three envelopes and deposits them into his coat pocket. He picks up his title belt and throws it over his shoulder before turning to leave. He takes a step for the door, but is suddenly caught off guard when the cell phone rings!! Looking confused, the champion calmly takes the phone out of his pocket and opens it before holding it up to his ear…
“I know you looked at those envelopes. I simply waited to give you time. Aren’t they a great resource to utilize?”
The voice was unmistakable, the arrogant tones of one Shawn Ashen coming through the small metal contraption. The Scorpion sneers in disgust before speaking back to the man on the other end.
“Your point?”
“My point is that you should see by now that you will not get rid of me. That you cannot harm me or cut me off, because I am the key to your salvation. I am the key to your life. I am the key to your PAST! Aren’t I……………..DANIEL??”
At this point The Scorpion literally drops the title belt and phone from his hands, watching them both fall to the floor! His eyes are as wide as saucers, a look of absolute shock overtaking him! Obviously the rich man has struck a nerve like never before, as the proud world champion is literally quivering in fear, barely able to stand up! He drops to his knees now to regain his balance before reaching for the phone. Surprisingly it is undamaged from the drop, thus The Scorpion attempts to hold the phone to his ear again, his hand shaking uncontrollably.
“No...NO! He is gone! How…how do you know that name???”
“Oh please you thought I didn’t know? I know your background my friend. It was a VERY expensive and time-consuming process, but I did it. I also have a bit more information that you might like. What would you say if I told you that I have something you have searched for your entire life? What would you say if I told you I could end the suffering you feel? What if I told you…that I know the name of your mother’s killer???”
The Scorpion now audibly gasps in shock at what he has just heard. The man that took his mother away, the source for turning him into what he is today. Could it be true? Could Shawn Ashen truly have the answers he has sought for all these years?
Trying to calm himself, he speaks into the phone again.
“Give me the name Ashen. Give me the name!! And I vow to you at this very moment. If you are lying, you will not be able to hide from me!!!”
“Oh please, like I would give it away for free? That’s bad business my friend. I’ll tell you what, let’s make a trade. If you can successfully defend your title, I’ll give you the man’s name. If you fail, then I will burn the only existing copy of the papers. I figured a little extra motivation couldn’t hurt, so I came prepared. Knock them dead champ, just know that I believe in you!”
At this point Ashen hangs up, the phone making an audible click before disconnecting. The sight now is one that would permanently be engraved in the memory of anyone that viewed it. The Scorpion is literally shaking in a combination of rage and glee. He might finally be able to find out why his mother had to die. But in order to do so, he must meet the challenges of TITAN, Jack Bull, and Roy Viper. This has become more about the Asylum World Heavyweight Title. This has become about the past of a man named Daniel and the future of a man known only as The Scorpion…
